1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an insole having a yielding base sole corresponding to the contours of the foot.
Two types of insole are to be distinguished. The first type of insole has a supporting function and influences the position of the bones in the foot and in the leg. Such supporting inlays must exhibit a relief which withstands quite substantial forces and is accordingly of firm construction. The relief may be formed by supports attached on a flat inlay, which may also be arranged detachably theron (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3,131,163). Such insoles which shape the foot are not the object of this invention.
The other type of insole influences the tissue of the foot as regards its blood circulation and/or the stimulation of nerve strands which connect the foot to organs located in other parts of the body. The sole of the foot contains, for all organs and connective tissue structures such as spinal column and joints, precisely localized and limited so-called reflex zones, from which the nerve strands depart. Any massage of the reflex zones triggers nerve impulses. The latter are transmitted to the associated remotely located organ or connective tissue structure, whereby the later obtain better blood circulation and the metabolism is stimulated. In this way it is possible, from the foot, to promote the blood circulation of organs and connective tissue structures and to enhance well-being and efficiency. The position in the foot of the reflex zones associated with the individual organs or connective tissue structures is known.
2. Description of the Related Art
Insoles such as are disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 32 27 505, which forms the basis of the preamble of claim 1, are known for stimulating the reflex zones. In the known embodiment permanent magnets, incorporated in the insole, are intended to achieve advantageous effects which are based substantially upon an improved blood circulation in the tissue. The magnets are hard discs or pills which can form pressure points in an insole which are found disagreeable. In order to solve this problem, in the known construction a massage fabric applied areally on the insole is provided, which is raised locally in the region of the magnets by an interlay of resilient material projecting above the level of the insole.
The interlay is therefore intended to prevent pressure points forming in the foot on the hard magnets. If this aim is to be achieved, the interlay itself must exhibit a substantial compression resistance and be capable of distributing the forces due to the body weight. This means that the interlay must exhibit a mechanical construction which is similar to the supporting insoles referred to initially.
It has now been discovered that the effect of such insoles with relatively hard cushions is limited as regards the stimulation of the reflex zones, because overstimulation occurs after a short time due to the harsh influence of the hard elevations.
For this reason constructions as according to German Utility Model No. 8,304.272 are also not very advantageous in which lenticular elevations made of a harder material are provided in the material of the insole, at least in the region provided for the pressure contact with the sole of the foot.